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The arrival of fresh kharif crop of onions at Lasalgaon Agriculture Market Produce Committee (APMC) doubled on Monday to 9,000 quintals from 4,000 quintals last week, and the average wholesale prices also fell at the country's largest onion market to R3,891 per quintal on Monday.

“The arrival of fresh onions has increased by two to three times in almost every major market in the country. The average wholesale price is ranging between R3,000 to R3,500 per quintal. In the next couple of days, wholesale prices of onions could drop to R30 per kg and by the end of November, prices could fall below R30 per kg,” RP Gupta, director, National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF), told FE.

Officials at the Lasalgaon AMPC said the arrivals

are expected to touch 14,000 quintals on Tuesday, with around 300 tractors arriving at the market place in the morning.

DY Holkar, secretary, Lasalgaon AMPC, said arrivals had increased due

to the conclusion of the festive season as the farmers were free to harvest their crop. The arrivals will increase further and this will contribute to the fall in prices, he said.

On Monday, 9,000 quintals of onions were auctioned at Lasalgaon as against 4,000 quintals on Friday. According to market observers, the arrival of onions is expected to reach the range of 12,000-15,000 quintals over the next 10 days.

The decline in wholesale prices is expected to be reflected in retail markets in the next couple of days. In Nashik retail markets, good quality onions were sold in the range of R50 to R55 per kg.

Kharif crop production is expected to be better than the last season. As the shelf life of kharif onion is around a month, farmers have no option but to sell it at the prevailing market rates.

In Pimpalgaon AMPC, average wholesale onion price declined to R4,300 per quintal against R4,500 a quintal on Monday. Around 9,150 quintals were auctioned at Pimpalgaon on Monday, according to data given by NHRDF.